Moving Forward
by veiledndarkness
Summary: Deo dona nobis pacem - God grant us peace. Continuation of 'Watching Him' through a series of short ficlets.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Moving Forward

Author: veiledndarkness

Pairing: Billy Darley/OFC

Rating: Mild R throughout series

Summary: Deo dona nobis pacem - God grant us peace.

Disclaimer: Not mine, no profit made, and no harm is intended.

*A continuation of Watching Him* Death Sentence AU

1 – Moving In

X

"Sweet Jesus," Beth muttered, reaching for a cardboard box that been hastily taped shut and bore a scrawl of black marker across one side. "I swear I ought to make him re-learn the English language."

Eddie dropped another box by her side. "Won't do ya nothin' good outta that," he said, cigarette perched firmly between his lips. "Boy never had a care for learnin'."

Beth shook her head. "There's a shocker. Do any of you ever finish school?"

"Nah, no point to it. What's a...uh whatcha call 'em, diploma...yeah, diploma good for when y' dealin'?"

"Basic math," she shot him a sly grin. "Grams, kilos, things like that. And proper English won't hurt you none, either."

Eddie winked at her. "I know 'nough to flirt with pretty girlies like you, eh Bethie?"

"Uh huh," she pushed the box closer. "Can you figure out what the hell he wrote on this then? It's worse than a doctor's chicken scratch, honestly."

"S' clothes an'...books, by the looks of it…"

Beth raised both her eyebrows and slid the box cutter across the top, opening the cardboard sections. "Books...Billy's, or Joe's?"

Eddie shrugged. "Dunno. Joey wrote a fuckin' storm all the time, never showed nobody nothin' but Billy never looked at no books, 'cept some skin rags an' bike shit."

Beth wrinkled her nose, "Charming." She dug through the box, removing the clothes. She separated them into piles of what needed to be washed, and what was beyond repair. Underneath a pile of sweaters, she found a tattered book, the blue cover faded and the pages dog-eared.

"Where's he at? I need 'im to ship some stuff out tomorrow."

She ran a finger over the cover, tempted for a moment to open it. "He's on his way; hold your horses, Eds." Beth bit her lip. She set the book aside, curious by it nonetheless. She'd been unpacking his things for the better part of an hour, helping him move in.

"He's here," Billy drawled from the doorway of Beth's apartment. "Shut the fuck up already. I got stuck dealin' with an old fuckin' acquaintance." He leaned in, the scowl on his face smoothing out at the sight of Beth. "Hey."

She scooped a pile of shirts up and stood, the book forgotten in that moment. "Hey yourself," she smiled. "You an' me are going to talk about that terrible handwriting of yours," she nodded to the boxes.

"Aw, Bethie," he groaned. "I can write nice, honest. Jus' don't care most of the time, is all."

She grinned and stood on her tiptoes, pressing a light kiss to his cheek. "Mm, I'll believe that when I see it. Go with Eddie. By the time you get back, you'll be starving. An' I need time to cook still."

Billy slid his arm around her, tugging her flush against him. "Stop fussin' over me, or else, woman," he said with a wink.

Beth listened to the familiar sound of his heart beat for a moment. "Someone has to," she replied, tugging on his cross necklace. He leaned down, his lips brushing a heated kiss over her mouth.

"Call if ya need me," he murmured, letting go of her only when Eddie pointedly cleared his throat.

Beth nodded and slipped away from Billy's hold on her. He watched her, blue eyes following her movements as she walked to her bedroom with the clothes. He made a sound in his throat and looked to Eddie. "C'mon, let's get this shit over with. I got better stuff to come home t' now."

"Y' sure about this movin' in stuff?" Eddie asked before taking a long drag off his cigarette.

Billy ran one palm over his shoulder, touching the covered scar in memory. "Yeah, yeah I'm sure. Ain't nothin' for me at the Roses, an'...it's Bethie, y' know? She's mine, and I...I kinda need her," he added in a near whisper.

"Girlies like her, them type, s' one in a million, Billy." Eddie clapped him on his good shoulder. "Let's go, getcha back wit' ya girl faster if we go now."

X


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Moving Forward

Author: veiledndarkness

Pairing: Billy Darley/OFC

Rating: Mild R throughout series

Summary: Deo dona nobis pacem - God grant us peace.

Disclaimer: Not mine, no profit made, and no harm is intended.

*A continuation of **Watching Him*** Death Sentence AU

Chapter 2 - Adjustment

X

"You don't have to hide your things away. This is your apartment too," Beth set the pile of clean clothes on the bed a few days later, a stack of hangers next to them. The sight of him lounging on her bed still brought a jolt to her. And in truth, he did still seem out of place in her apartment, an image slightly out of focus amongst her things.

Billy palmed his lighter, shrugging. "I dunno...its all girly n' shit in here..."

She rolled her eyes. "A likely excuse," she pushed at his long legs. "Here, time for you to learn the wonders of hangin' your shirts up."

With a snort of disbelief, he stretched out on the bed. "That a joke? Y' serious?"

"I'm not your maid in this apartment, Darley," she said, handing him one of the thin sweaters he favoured. "I only get paid to clean the Roses."

He took the sweater as he stood up. "How 'bout I pay ya for here, too?"

"How 'bout you learn, and I won't have to nag like some fishwife," Beth held out a hanger. "C'mon, you're a smart boy..."

"Smart enough t' catch you," he winked at her.

"Uh huh," she pressed the hanger to his hands. "Flattery later, for now, clothes hanging."

He took the hanger, clearly less than impressed. Slipping the sweater onto the wire hanger, he held it out, wriggling the material. "Ta fuckin' da..."

"I'd give you a sticker but I'm all out," she nodded to the closet. "In there."

As Billy hung up the clothes, one by one, Beth sat on the edge of the bed, watching him. It seemed a rush, a whirlwind since the day she'd gone into his room at the Roses to gather his clothes weeks before, only...only to have him look at her, really look at her, cold blue eyes focused intently. She'd broken her own rule of conduct with Billy, with his kind of life, and let herself fall in love with him no less.

She winced, worrying at her lip with her teeth. There were worse things to do in life, she supposed. Morally, loving someone such as Billy wouldn't win her any points though. He glanced back at her, a small smile quirking at his lips. He took a step towards the bed and leaned in, pressing her back against the soft, worn material of her blankets, his body covering hers.

"Since y' ain't got no stickers, how 'bout ya show me how proud y' are?"

X

It was strange, stranger than she expected. He didn't fit in with her furniture, his legs much too long for her bed or couch. He often curled around her on the couch or bed, his fingers toying with her hair or running over her skin. For as much as he liked to touch her, he was skittish of her touches, despite the affection behind them.

He kept the oddest of hours, often disappearing for the whole day, only to reappear in the dead of the night. On those nights, he slept curled around her, his face buried in her neck. She wanted to ask where he'd been, what he'd done, but no...No, the answer wouldn't be anything good and not knowing seemed better.

X

Sammy slid a glass of orange juice across the old wooden bar counter, smirking. "Been up all night, eh girlie?"

"You're a filthy pervert." Beth glared at him half heartedly. "Filthy old pervert."

"Ahh, you love me, y' do. Drink up that juice, put some colour back in those cheeks of yours."

Beth grabbed the glass of juice, annoyed despite herself. She took slow sips of the sweetly tart orange juice. "I'm fine. I just didn't sleep so good, ok? And no it has nothin' to do with a certain somebody, so butt out, perv, or I might let the fact that you're wonderin' about his sexual habits slip. That wouldn't be good for you, Sammy."

"Y' threatenin' ol' Sammy?" he covered his chest with one hand, "Wounds me deep, Bethie."

She snorted, sitting down on one of the barstools. "Then shut up." She fiddled with the glass, drinking it gradually. Her stomach rolled once then quieted. "I've been having bad dreams. It's hard to sleep when you don't wanna close your eyes."

Sammy touched her shoulder, his fingers light and cautious, wary of being seen touching her when Billy could be lurking in any corner of the bar. "You really not feelin' good, then y' take the day doin' easy things, I'll take the heavier shit."

"Thanks," she mumbled. In truth, she did feel as if she'd been run over. "Could you take care of the garbage today? I don't think my back can take haulin' all that."

"Sure, no problem girlie," Sammy wiped his hands with his dishrag, eyeing her.

Beth looked away from his gaze, feeling a flutter in her chest at the all too knowing look in his eyes. "Do you ever think about…everything that happened?"

"I ain't about to forget that crazy man, he had the devil or somethin' in his eyes." Sammy crossed himself once. "He woulda shot me, I seen that in his eyes too. No way did I wanna give up no truths t' him."

"I know you didn't," she murmured. "Some things are inevitable. Billy..." she trailed off and shook her head, a small sigh escaping. "He doesn't help things like that. I don't think there was much stoppin' him once he started it."

Sammy snorted. "Don't y' forget that, girl. You 'member that next time you wanna think he's got him a good soul 'neath it all."

She glanced at him and then away, her lips pressed tightly together.

X


End file.
